Electric signal-box



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

D. A. PALMER.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL BOX. N0.408,042. Patented July 30, 1889.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

D. A. PALMER. ELEGTBiG SIGNAL BOX.

No. 408,042. PatentedJuly 30, 1889.

Q 'I' JWZPTZZPJ m Ja UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DON A. PALMER, OF ENGLEIVOOD, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO BERNARD E. SUNNY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

, ELECTRIC SIGNAL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,042, dated July 30, 1889.

Application filed December 12, 1888. $erial No. 293,350. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DON A. PALMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Englewood, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Signal-Boxes, (Case 1,) of which'the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to combined fire-alarm and police electric signal-boxes, and its object is to provide such a construction of the character-wheels of the different boxes within a given district that each box may be operative for fire-alarm and police signal purposes, and

at the same time adapted to receive an additional portable segment provided with suit able characters to permit of sending in, in addition to the particular-number of the box, the special number indicatedupon the portable segment.

Myinvention also consists in a shield placed over the fixed or permanent portion of the character-wheel in such manner as to guide the portable portion to itsproper position when inserted.

'Each policeman may be provided with a compleniental portable segment provided with suitable characters to indicate his individual number. This portable portion I have sometimes termed a key, since it is adapted to be carried about and inserted in any one of several boxes to bring the particular box in which it maybe inserted into condition to indicate over the circuit upon the register the particular number of the key, as well as the particular number of the box.

I have described my invention herein as applied to a signal-box through which the circuit is normally closed. Then the handle of the box is pulled down, the circuit is opened, except when the different teeth or characters are passing over the spring-finger contacts. Many such boxes may be placed upon the same circuit and so arranged as to indicate their special numbers upon a suitable register placed at the central station. I preferably use a chemical register.

My invention, however, may be applied to boxes used in connection with different circuit systems, as will be readily understood.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the interior of a signal-box embodying my invention in its normal position, the shield being broken away and the front of the case removed. Fig. 2 is a front elevation showing the lever or handle pulled down as in the act of sending in a signal. Fig. 3 perspective viewof the character-wheel, showing the guide adapted to receive the key, the

guard or shield being shown broken away.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the key orportable segment. Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrative of the circuits through the box. Fig. 6 is a vertical central sectional view of the character-wheel, the shieldprovided thereon, and the shaft upon which the wheel is mounted. Fig. '7 is a plan view of the same, showing the shield in detail. Fig. Sis a diagram showing several signal-boxes in series upon the same circuit, together with the register or receivinginstrument at'the central office.

Like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference throughout the different figures.

The circuit of the box, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, may be traced by wire a to contactspring I), and thence to contact 0, and thence to contact d, and thence to contact-spring e and out. The contact-springs d c, as shown in Fig. 1, are closed when the lever or handle f is up in its normal position, as in Fig. 1, the shorter arm 9 of the lever, resting upon spring (1, serving to hold the same in contact with contact 0. Thus the circuit is normally closed through all the boxes included in the series. When, iowever, the handle f is drawn down, as shown in Fig. 2, the arm g is lifted from spring d, and spring (1 by its own tension is separated from contact a, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, thus opening the circuit. The pulling down of the handle at the same time moves the stop it away from the pin 1., thus releasing the character-wheel 7c. The clock-train is thus set in motion and the character-wheel 7c is revolved, the characters or teeth thereon each closing successively upon the free ends of the springfingers b e. Thus the character-wheel labeis a detailed provided with specific characters.

ing provided with four teeth or projections 1 2 3 4, would in its revolution close the circuit a, between springs 19 6 four times. There being a space between the characters 2 and 3, the number thusrindi-cated upon the register would be 22. This is the ordinary operation of signal-boxes of this class.

By making the character-wheel 7.: of such form that other characters may be added thereto I am enabled to send in the special number thus added as well as the particular number of the box. The portable portion may be of any form which is adapted to be connected with the fixed portion of the character-wheel in such manner that the two signals may be sent in one after the other. The construction which I preferably use for the fixed portion is shown most clearly in Fig. 3, the character-wheel It being semi-cylindrical and being provided with a guide Z, adapted to receive the key or portable portion m.

Each policeman-is provided with a key m, In order to report his presence at any particular box, he has only to insert the keym over the guide Z, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and then pull the box. The key m, as shown, is provided with characters adapted to send in the number 33. Thus when the box is turned in after the key is inserted, as shown in Fig. 2, the numbers sent in would be 33 and 22. The first number 33 bein the olicemans number would 7, the shield 91. is provided upon the guide Z and serves'to cover up the half-wheel 7c, and prevents the policeman from making any mistake in inserting the key m.

As shown in the drawings, the character device 10 is insulated from the circuit, except when in its revolution its wings or teeth are in contact with the springsb 6. When the complemental portion m is placed upon the guide I, the two parts act together, and are in the same manner both disconnected from the circuit, except when the teeth or wings are brushing against the 'sprin gs. The construction shown is such that the character-wheels of signal-boxes heretofore used may be readily replaced by my character devices illustrated herein, a suitable opening being provided in the front case of the box, as shown in Fig. 2. In this opening I preferably place a bushing of hard rubber or its equivalent in order that there may be no electrical contact between the character-device and the box.

A portable key designed to be used in connection with signal-boxes is not broadly new in the art, as will be seen by reference to Letters Patent No. 366,154, granted Henry A. Chase July 5, 1887, and No. 378,927, granted Edward T. Gibson March 6, 1888. My key, however, as described and adapted to be combined with the permanent character-wheel to form a disk, each portion of which is provided with character-teeth,is new in the art, as far as I know. This new construction, as before stated, enables me readily to change existing boxes, of which there are many thousands in use, so as to include therein my invention and new mode of operation.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, in an electric signalbox, of a character-wheel consisting of two portions, each portion being provided with character-teeth, and one portion being fixed and the other removable, whereby on insertin g the removable portion the number thereon and the number upon the fixed portion will be transmitted successively on turning in the box, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In an electric signal-box, the combination, with the character device is, provided with a' guide Z, of the portable complemental segment m, adapted to be inserted upon said guide to act in conjunction with the portion k, said character device and complemental segment being each provided with characterteeth, and when united forming a disk, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The character device 70, insulated from its shaft, in combination with the complemental segment m, adapted to be temporarily joined to the segment is, whereby the char acter devices are insulated from the circuit and from the box, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. An electric signal-box provided with an insulated permanent character-segment 7c and a removable segrnont'm, in combination with a bushing provided about the opening in the case of the box in front of said segments, substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 7th day of December, A. D. 1888.

. DON A. PALMER.

lVitn esses:

GEORGE P. BARTON, ELLA EDLER. 

